Review: 20 Times a Lady by Karyn Bosnak

Hi everyone!!

it's a long week-end this week-end!! Yay! Seriously, if you're going to start a job, you should plan it around a long week-end. Nothing better to help relax :) Anyway, everything is going well at work. I'm adjusting to a new schedule. At my old job, I was doing a 6.30am to 3pm day... now, it's more like 9.30am to 5.30pm... It's different and kind of fun to be able to sleep more in the morning. Sure, once I get home, I have less time to do stuff... not that I did anyway, LOL :) Once I get settled in a schedule and school starts, I might try to do an earlier schedule though... because then, I'll be giving rides to my sister.

The professor had an extra pass, so that's fun :) I'll be able to come and leave on my own. So far, parking hasn't been too bad. Although I had to park it in the hospital parking (17$ ouch) today because I came earlier, I figured it'd be only a day. Better than get a ticket and I can leave it in the parking the whole day instead of moving it around (that's really no fun).

My reading mojo has come back and I should be able to salvage a bit of the month :) So today, I'll review 20 times a Lady by Karyn Bosnak :)


20 Times a Lady by Karyn Bosnak
published by Harper Collins in June 2006 (tradesize paperback)

How many men does it take to find true love?

Delilah Darling's magic number was supposed to be twenty. She always thought she'd find the perfect guy by the time she'd slept with twenty of them. But when she wakes up naked in her disgusting boss's bed after a drunken night out, she's filled with regret -- and realizes she's hit her self-imposed limit. Unwilling to up her number but unable to imagine a life of celibacy, Delilah does what any girl in her situation would do: she tracks down every man she's ever slept with in a last-ditch effort to make it work with one of them.A hilarious romp through Delilah's past loves, 20 Times a Lady proves that in the end, numbers don't matter. True love will come when you're open and ready to accept it.

Genre: contemporary, chick-lit
Series: none

The Story: After reading an article which states that a woman has on average 10.5 different sexual partner, Delilah Darling kind of freaks out. She's at 19 and that makes her feel easy. As a result, she decides to give herself a self-imposed cap: 20. Yep, she only have one more opportunity to find Mr. Right. However, all goes wrong when she wakes up naked in her boss' bed after getting fired and drunk. Having reached her self-imposed cap, Delilah can only think of one solution... Re-visit her exes and see if any of them could be it, Mr. Right... thus, Delilah hires the services of her neighbor and struggling actor, Colin, to find out the whereabouts of some of them and embarks in a very long and weird roadtrip :)

My Opinion: I bought this book after having Ames glommed about it and after reading her review. All I have to say is: Thanks Ames, 20 Times a Lady was a great, funny read!!

First, I was so glad that 20 Times a Lady didn't read too much like a typical chick-lit. Instead, I thought that Delilah was smart, witty and realist. All right, re-visiting all her exes might not have been her brightest idea, but really, she was realist about the possible relationships. She didn't delude herself like so many other chick-lit heroines and she wasn't as klutzy. I think that made a huge difference and it made this book stands out.

So yes, this book was a great read and it was just fun and entertaining to follow Delilah on her roadtrip :) There's a lot of LOL moments and I think that Ms Bosnak had a great voice. I really liked Delilah. I also enjoyed her relationships with her family...

I do think however that by the end, once her roadtrip was over, the storyline started to drag a little. I also wished that she would have spent more time with Colin and I'd have liked the storyline to focus on them a little bit more. Otherwise, this book was fun and perfect to get me back on track with my reading mojo.

My Grade: B+. You should all try it out :)

First Day of work...

Hi everyone :D

So first day of work was yesterday :) It's still a bit too early to say how the job is going to be in the future, but so far it's okay. LOL, the professor tends to talk a lot and says the same things over and over again. My friend who referred me who is now going to be known as SW gave me an advice: whenever I get new results, to go see him right away... LOL, cos it might be long before I can start the next experiment :)

There's a resident that's starting at the same time as me. He's only going to be there for 3 months, but I'm happy not to be the only one starting. Poor SW though, because the professor is: Ask SW if you don't understand this and that. So yeah, SW is stuck with the new ppl :)

Two things that are annoying though is that I'm not going to get my ID card and pass till 2 weeks, so that means I can't come and go as I wish... I'll have to call every morning for someone to open the door :( Second thing, I don't have an employee number yet so I can't get a parking pass till next Thursday (first pay, yay!) and that means I'm going to have to park my car around the hospital... there's not much free parkings around and then, it's all: you can't park here from 8.30-9.30am or from 3-6pm, etc. So that means I'll have to play around a bit and move the car.

Okay, onto the great things though... Remember I told you that accepting this position meant a decrease of salary? Yeah, well it's still a decrease... but I get 4 weeks of vacation!! Hurrah!! (most ppl when starting a job only gets 2...) So 4 weeks of vacation, 12 sick days and 13 statuary holidays :) Hey, I'll take that!! In addition, I get fringe benefits, which I didn't get with my previous job. So I'm all happy, really :) Of course, all this starts in 3 months once I pass the probation period... but I'm not worried about that :D

So how about you guys? What's new?

Review: Crazy for You by Kate Angell

Hello everyone! How are you doing? I've been behind on my blogging and reviewing, but I hope that all will go back to normal now :) I'm starting my new job in a couple of hours :) Can you imagine? A few weeks ago, I was working from 6.30am to 3pm and that meant waking up at 5.30am... now it's 8am and I'm still at home :) I don't know how my schedule is going to be yet, but I know I can get a couple more hours of sleep :) Yay!

Anyway, that's beside the point. Today, I officially start going back on track for blogging and reviewing. Vacations are over and the Olympics as well :( - by the way, I can't imagine how well this worked out LOL :) I've been reading, blog-hopping and commenting... no reasons I can't blog and review as well :) So let's start with Crazy for You by Kate Angell :) It took me a while to get my hands on this book and in the end, it was total disappointment :(


Crazy for You by Kate Angell
published by Love Spell Dorchester in April 2005

Crazy

From the moment she spotted his hamburger-and-french-fry emblazoned boxers with the word supersized on them, Bree knew Sexton St. Croix was trouble. Here was a man with just one thing on his mind, but Sex had hired her to do a job and she'd let nothing get in her way. Not even a sudden insatiable craving for fast food, the hotter the better.

For You

Sexton St. Croix had a big problem. His luxury ocean liner was haunted - by the ghost of an unflappable flapper named Daisy. Now, in an effort to persuade Daisy to "cheese it," he'd opened the ship to a veritable psychic circus. With every type of paranormal phony swarming the decks, he was counting on Bree's "clairsentience" to save his bacon. Her exquisitely sensitive fingers could detect the emotional vibrations of an 80-year-old love triangle and the unsolved murder that had resulted, while her tender touch unlocked secrets in his own heart. Here, at last, was the woman to convince the pleasure-before-promises playboy of the virtues of good, old-fashioned romance.

Genre: contemporary romance, psychics, ghost
Series: none

The Story: Surprisingly, the blurb with all its references to fast food summarizes well the story :)

My Opinion: I've been a fan of Ms Angell ever since I read her baseball Boys of the Summer series. Ever since, I've tried to collect her backlist, thus Crazy for You. Personally, I thought the blurb was very cute with its fast food references and so I thought the book would be really enjoyable... I guess that's why I'm so disappointed in the end.

Actually, Crazy for You is not that bad. As a whole, the storyline is pretty good. Through Bree's visions, we see what happened 80 years ago and how Daisy the ghost fell in love with Sexton's ancestor. That part was pretty good and I was introduced to a period/character that I didn't know very well - the flapper. The premises weren't bad at all either. Sexton wants to get rid of the ghost and therefore invites a bunch of psychics. Where I thought the book sunk is the romance, the characters and all the sex innuendos.

First the romance. I didn't feel the chemistry between Bree and Sexton. Other than lust and her being hard to get, I don't know why Sexton was so into Bree. I like Bree for holding off as long as she did... but yeah, their chemistry wasn't great. I also didn't like how Sexton hired Bree to get rid of the ghost, but wouldn't believe in her abilities and what she saw. His pre-judgment of Daisy was annoying.

Secondly, I thought the characters lacked depth. It's one thing to see them on the boat, but what about outside of the boat? How are they? There were some brief mentions about Bree's life, but it doesn't cover it all. I mean, she's clairvoyant, so how does she deals with it? What do they both do in their everyday life? It made Bree and Sexton less realistic to me. At the end, Ms Angell tries to salvage Sexton's image to the readers by making him more than a playboy. Although it was a good idea, Ms Angell should have emphasized more on that part in my opinion, drops more hints.

Finally, the sexual innuendos. I don't mind sexual tension and all and I think that Ms Angell tried to do this in a comic way... however, I thought that all the sexual innuendos made the book a bit vulgar. It didn't work well. Maybe if they'd been less comical and a bit more classy? I know this is supposed to be a fun book, but still... For example, guess what Sexton likes to be called? Of course, Sex. It's just little thing... Perhaps some people enjoys this kind of innuendos, but not me.

The secondary characters were okay and completed the pictures. The one that I enjoyed most was Daisy :) She was really fun to read. As I said, the whole storyline is quite good and I did laugh here and there. Not totally a bad book, but not one that wowed me.

My Grade: C. In the end, I think that Ms Angell was trying to hard to write a book that was both sexy and funny that it felt forced... and so I ended up disappointed because I've seen her doing sexy and funny and this wasn't.

New job starting...

Hi everyone!!

Sorry I've been in and out lately in blogland :) (Although, I'm not the worst, LOL) However, I should be back more regularly starting Tuesday... since I start my new job :D

Yep, vacation finally coming to an end :( Although I did enjoy an extra week. It's quite strange that I'm anxious to start work, as if I've been on vacation for too long (which believe me, it's not the case). I guess it's due a bit to uncertainty - my new boss doesn't seem to know how it works and the proper procedures. Doesn't bode well for a lot of thing, sigh :(

By the way, for those who wondered about how my medical exam went on Tuesday... it went well. They just wanted to know if I was up-to-date with my shots and what they needed to do to "protect" me since I'm going to be working with body fluids. I did get poked a lot though - 6 times. I had a shot (which made my left arm sore for the rest of the week), a PPD test... and it took 4 attempts for them to draw blood ^_^; Apparently, I have tanned a lot recently and so, it's hard to find my veins.

I'm glad to say that I'm reading! Yay! I might be able to salvage the month of August a bit LOL :) I've read 4 books this week and hoping to read a bit more this last week... Strangely, what got me out of my slump is a historical... One Night of Scandal by Teresa Medeiros... For one that prefers contemporary, this is a surprise LOL :) But I'm really glad :) Speaking of books... I finally signed up to Shelfari!! After a few bloggers (Ames, Jill and Samantha) have glommed about this, I just had to try it out... also, it kept me from cleaning my room LOL :) always a plus :) I've never signed up to these sites (Shelfari, LibraryThing)... because I usually have difficulty keeping track of my reads and stuff... so we'll see how it goes :)

Finally, the Olympics :) Yay!!! I'm really glad I had this extra week of vacation because it gave me the opportunity to watch everything :) Canada was pretty desperate at the end of the first week since we had no medals... and in the end, we won 18 in one week :) Not bad at all! :) Oh, for those who wonders, we came in 4th 9 or 10 times LOL :) I told you, Canada's favorite position! Can you imagine if it was a medal instead of 4th place?!? Anyway, these Olympics were great and highly enjoyable :)

It's been quiet in blogland :) What's up with everyone?

TBR Day: The Widows of Witchita County and The Secrets of Rosa Lee by Jodi Thomas

Another month, another TBR Day challenge. I've kind of been in a slump, but luckily for me, I read these books before the slump. So after reading Twisted Creek, I wanted to read more of Ms Jodi Thomas work. Unfortunately for me who is a contemporary lover, Ms Jodi Thomas only have 4 contemporary books. I was able to find The Widows of Witchita County at the UBS. It's Ames who found The Secrets of Rosa Lee in Winnipeg and graciously brought it to Montreal :) Both are loosely connected, so I thought I'd review both at the same time.


The Widows of Witchita County by Jodi Thomas
published by Mira in August 2003

An unforgettable journey of faith, strength and friendship.

Apart from sharing the same zip code, Randi Howard, Anna Montano, Meredith Allen, Helena Whitworth and Crystal Howard have absolutely nothing in common until a fiery explosion on a west Texas oil rig changes everything.

Their husbands are men who live to search for "black gold," men who are willing to exchange backbreaking work and long days for danger and excitement - and money. But on a blistering day in early autumn four of the men pay the ultimate price - leaving behind one man who wishes he had.

In one brief moment the tragedy binds Randi, Anna, Meredith, Helena and Crystal closer together than a lifetime of friendship. As they gather at the hospital, waiting to learn who among them will not have to bury her husband, they turn to one another for support. And so begins a journey of faith, of strength, of tears and of love.

Genre: contemporary romance
Series: Witchita County, book #1

The Story: The Widows of Witchita County follows the lives of 5 women after the tragic accident that made them all widows at the same time.

My Opinion: Personally, I thought this book would have a more tragic feel, that the story would focus more on the accident than the aftermath. The book opens with a brief prologue, a "5 years earlier" where we see the women as newly wedded. Then, 5 years later, we see where they are and how their marriages are going. It's interesting to see 5 women of different ages and backgrounds come together in tragedy and how different their marriages were.

I don't want to go into each of the storylines, because it would be long, but overall, I enjoyed all of them. I loved Anna and Meredith's storylines the most. My only complaint about this book is how quick these women moved on. Especially the ones who met new love interests. I thought, no matter how the marriage was bad, that it'd take time...

My Grade: B. The Widows of Witchita County was enjoyable with great writing and solid storylines. However, I think that Ms Thomas could have made this book better than it is. It just comes short from the wow factor.


The Secrets of Rosa Lee by Jodi Thomas
published by Mira in August 2005

Everyone assumes Rosa Lee Altman lived a life without passion. But buried secrets are meant to be revealed. And no one is prepared for what they discover beneath Rosa Lee's overgrown roses - or how her legacy will change their lives with love.

The once beautiful Altman home sits empty, its gardens overgrown, its windows boarded up -- an old lady, now silent, surrounded by what passes for progress in Clifton Creek, Texas. But if some of the townsfolk have their way, this lovely reminder of times past will be sold off to the highest bidder.

When a group of community members with little in common is chosen to decide the fate of "the old Altman place," they soon learn that this home is more than bricks and mortar. It's also a place that harbors a love so strong, it still has the power to change the entire town.

Genre: contemporary romance
Series: Witchita County, book #2

The Story: The Secrets of Rosa Lee takes place in the same town as The Widows of Witchita County, only a few years later. Rosa Lee Altman is dead and the town now has to decide what to do with the Altman place: tear it down to sell the property or restore it. Thus, a committee has been formed to take the decision.

Sydney, a 40 years old college teacher and new transplant in Clifton Creek, is on this committee. Two years, she lost her grandmother and mother in a car accident. She inherited from her grandmother a card that said: "Do not forget the secrets of Rosa Lee." That is the reason of her move to Clifton Creek and being on the committee gives her the best opportunity to uncover those secrets.

My Opinion: Ms Thomas follow the same style as the previous book, i.e. she throws a bunch of eclectic characters together and tells their stories. Although it worked and The Secrets of Rosa Lee was an enjoyable read, I think that the storylines weren't as strong in this book. In fact, I thought that this book was a bit weak and the storylines not as interesting. However, Ms Thomas saves the book with the addition of the Rodgers sisters who serve as comedic relief. We also get to see past characters from The Widows of Witchita County, although their appearances seem forced at times.

The secret of Rosa Lee was indeed an interesting one. The idea was very good in my opinion, but the way the characters uncovered wasn't handled at its best. I thought it made it too lucky perhaps? In addition, the whole plot of the committee members being attacked/threatened so the Altman place would be teared down felt forced as well. Especially since from the beginning, none of them wanted to keep the place. The main romance storyline was a bit too short and not developed enough. It didn't draw my attention...

My Grade: B-. Not a bad book, but not as good as the previous books I've read by Ms Thomas. Overall, I think the book wasn't touching enough and therefore became an average read.

Review: Hostage to Pleasure by Nalini Singh

In the past 2 years, a lot of new series have emerged and I think that readers have seen everything. Ex-soldiers, ex-agents, cops, firefighters, vampires, werewolves and so on. Two series with alternating main characters that have caught and managed to retain my attention are the Psy-Changelings series by Nalini Singh and the Guardians series by Meljean Brook.

Ms Nalini Singh's next release is Hostage to Pleasure coming out in a few weeks on September 2nd. I was one of the lucky winners in her contest for an ARC and you can't believe how happy I was! It was even better than to get a new job!! LOL :)

So here are my thoughts of Hostage to Pleasure...


Hostage to Pleasure by Nalini Singh
published by Berkley in September 2008

Separated from her son and forced to create a neural implant that will mean the effective enslavement of her psychically gifted race, Ashaya Aleine is the perfect Psy - cool, calm, emotionless...at least on the surface. Inside, she's fighting a desperate battle to save her son and escape the vicious cold of the PsyNet. Yet when escape comes, it leads not to safety, but to the lethal danger of a sniper's embrace.

Dark River sniper Dorian Christensen lost his sister to a Psy killer. Though he lacks the changeling ability to shift into animal form, his leopard lives within. And that leopard's rage at the brutal loss is a clawing darkness that hungers for vengeance. Falling for a Psy has never been on Dorian's agenda. But charged with protecting Ashaya and her son, he discovers that passion has a way of changing the rules...

Genre: paranormal romance
Series: Psy-changelings series, book #5

The Story: Ashaya Aleine is a M-Psy scientist that has been introduced in the previous books of the series. In Mine to Possess, she helped the cat changelings by rescuing two human kids in exchange of a favor. In the beginning of Hostage to Pleasure, Ashaya calls in the favor: she wants the cats to save her son who's been used by the Psy council as a hostage to force Ashaya to work for them. After her son disappears from the Psy net, Ashaya fakes her death to escape the Psy council... however, the councilors are not about to let Ashaya go so easily, not when she knows so much about them and their plans.

Dorian Christensen, Dark River's Sentinel and sniper, can't forget Ashaya Aleine, ever since he had her in his scope. He figures it's just a bad case of lust, because he can't be falling for a psy. Not after what happened to his little sister and especially not for a perfect psy who is not willing to break Silence.

My Opinion: All right, so here is the deal... after reading Hostage to Pleasure twice, I'm a bit torn. This is definitively a great addition to the series and I'm sure that fans of Dorian will be satisfied; however, Hostage to Pleasure has its flaws.

To me, what worked was the storyline, the writing and the world building. Hostage to Pleasure was great in the sense that it made the whole series storyline advances. A lot of series have their general storyline, when they have one, stalled at some points, but it is not the case with this series. The credit definitively goes to Ms Singh. She was able to create a complex world, but at the same time, she was smart enough not to rush the building of the world. She gave the readers enough information to start the series and with each new book, she adds a new element to the world that fits. These new elements do not feel like an after-thought and their purpose is not to make the series more complex. Instead, she works the new elements in well and they complement her storyline of the Psy rebellion and the changes in the world that are coming.

I also enjoyed the storyline between Dorian and Ashaya. I think that Ms Singh had it well thought out and had it in control. There were many issues between Dorian and Ashaya such as Dorian's hatred for the Psy, Ashaya's behavior towards her son and so on and Ms Singh was able to address them all and the resolutions were all satisfactory. I do think that Ms Singh could have had more scenes between Dorian and Ashaya and could have taken their relationship a tad slower... but given Dorian's behavior, it was understandable.

Speaking of Dorian's behavior, that is one aspect of the book that I didn't really enjoy. Perhaps because it's been a couple of books since Slave to Sensation and Dorian's presence has not been as prominent as in the first book... or because in the past few books, Dorian seemed to be better, more joyful. However, he was very harsh and angry in Hostage to Pleasure and although it was well explained, I didn't like it much. What was good though is that it wasn't out of character for him, he was very much like in the beginning of Slave to Sensation, perhaps even more angry. It's also good that we got to know Dorian so much across the series, because the book focused a lot more on his anger and present state of mind. Since we know him so much, it didn't feel like there was a lack of characterization.

Ashaya was definitively an interesting heroine. I really enjoy Ms Singh's heroines, because they are so different from one another. Their personality and issues make them very distinct and that's great in a series to keep a certain freshness. Ashaya is a very strong-minded heroine, very courageous, but at the same time, she has weakness that make her very vulnerable. She also has a certain maturity and is less naive or idealist than the previous heroines which suit her character a lot. I really liked her character and although Ashaya and Dorian had a lot of chemistry, I'm not totally sure they fit. I thought something was a tiny bit off... that is why I wish for more scenes of them together. Like I said, I suspected it was because of Dorian's anger, I felt like there was no moment he was really calm during the relationship and his anger and lust made everything happened so fast. If the relationship could have happened a tad slower, it would have been better.

One thing I'm not certain about though is Ashaya's sense of responsibility. I can't say too much about it without giving out spoilers, but those who have read the book will know what I'm talking about. I can understand why she wants to protect and take care of that person, why she feels so much responsibilities. However, after what Ashaya's gone through because of that person, I find it hard to believe that Ashaya still feels responsible. Therefore, I'm not sure that the resolution to that problem totally pleases me.

What else did I enjoy? The apparitions of previous characters. They didn't overshadow the H/H and their presences were all pertinent. Ms Singh didn't just bring them back to please the readers, instead, their presences contribute to the storyline. Another thing that Ms Singh does well is series baiting. Many readers have complained in the past about authors baiting them for the next books with characters actually overshadowing the H/H... however, it is not the case with Ms Singh. For example, the next book will be Mercy's book and although she's been introduced since book #1, we don't know her well. Ms Singh has kept her in the background, giving us very few information so readers weren't distracted with her in the past. However, now that her book is coming up, Mercy gets more 'screen time' and we learn more about her, but not excessively. So that was fun :) Keenan was also very cute and for those who don't like kids in their books, don't worry...

All right, so along the review, I did mention a few things that I didn't particularly like or enjoy such as Dorian's behavior... but Hostage to Pleasure has two more flaws. First: I thought there were too much point of views from others. We got slices of different councilors (Kaleb Krychek, Ming Lebon, Henry Scott) in addition of the newly introduced human faction, Human Alliance. Individually, it wasn't too bad, but combined together, I thought it a bit too much. The most annoying was it cut into the flow of the storyline. The second flaw is not major... Simply put is that when reading the series, the psy-changelings world seems to be restricted to San Francisco... but it is not the case. When Ms Singh says that the Psy are dominating the world, I have the feeling it's simply the USA or even San Francisco only. The international feeling is not there. When we're talking about Psy rebellion, again, I feel like it's only happening in San Francisco. What about the changelings status in the rest of the world? Perhaps it would help if Ms Singh starts to give us the status of the rest of the world. I know she has tried to place the councilors in different parts of the world and the Human Alliance is based in Venice... but I still don't get the international feel.

My Grade: Between B and B+. Like I said, a great addition to the Psy-changelings series with good writing and good characters, but I think that the romance story was a bit rushed. As a result, when I read Hostage to Pleasure, it was more with my head than my heart.

Congratulations for Captain Canada!!!

I'd like to take a moment to congratulate Captain Canada, Ian Miller, for winning a silver medal along with teammates Eric Lamaze, Jill Henselwood and Mac Cone in team show jumping. They were riding respectively: In Style, Hickstead, Special Ed and Ole.

I have to say, Ian Miller has always been a sentimental favorite of mine. I'm always rooting for him and this Olympics Game was no different... and when I say always, I really mean it LOL :) Ian Miller is 61 years old and this is his 9th Olympics Games and this silver medal is his first Olympic medal. He has finally captured this elusive medal and this is just amazing!!

I just want to congratulate him for his perseverance and for always believing in his dreams and never giving up. I mean, it would have been so easy to just give up. He really showed to all the pessimists that he deserved his spot on the team Canada as the anchor rider. To anyone who says he should retire and give his place to younger riders, well in your face. He completely deserves to be on the team. To all those who says: "9th Olympics and this is his only medal," just try it out. He deserves our respect and that's why I hope he'll be our flag-bearer for the closing ceremony!!

Captain Canada, I hope to see you in 4 years in London 2012 :) This time, I wish for you you'll have your two children as teammates! :)

Extended Vacation...

Woohoo, extended vacation!! Okay, so here's the story. I went in Friday to fill in the HR paperwork and then, my new boss informs me that I have to pass a medical exam. It's just standard procedure (since I'm going to work in a hospital) and I can't sign anything before going through it. He actually didn't know I had to, until he called HR to get the paperwork. HR has already called me and set up an appointment - this Tuesday afternoon, but for now that means that my vacation is being extended... probably a week. Woohoo!!!

Yesterday was a quite busy day... but I'm proud to say that my to do list is almost totally completed :) I might try to go to the video rental store... I feel so bad :( Otherwise, this week, I'm going to focus on reading and watching the Olympics and cleaning my room.

Seriously, I just want to be reading, but so far, I keep getting distracted. I started The Wedding Officer by Anthony Capella, The Wild Road by Marjorie M. Liu, Oceans by Fire by Christine Feehan and have all put them down :( The worst is that I've been buying lots of books, so you'd think that something would catch my attention... but no :( Sad. The good news however is that I got some new coupons from the bookstore! Remember how I complained that I lost my coupons from the bookstore that I've received when renewing my I-Rewards card? Well I was paying for m newest books and complaining to my friend who was accompanying me and the cashier just gave me a new booklet :D and the best news? The expiring date is November instead of August LOL :)

Oh and yesterday? I went to Elixor - I guess the Quebec's version of Cheesecake Factory :) LOL :) Although I have to say, there's not as many cheesecakes... but hey, we have a Cheesecake Factory :) What can I say?

Almost over...

Sigh, Thursday night already... that means my vacation is almost over :( The worst is it seems that the next few days are going to be even more busy :( Let see... Tomorrow, I'm supposed to go fill the HR paperwork for the new job (finally!), lunch with a friend, some shopping and perhaps a farewell dinner. Then, on Saturday I have to go to the temple and to work... Sunday, might go to an amusement park - which I don't really enjoy (I don't like rides), but I will go to hang out with friends... and oh, tomorrow, I have to go to the passport office. Since it's the last day, it's going to be my last chance.

Here's my to do list and its status:

1) Visit the professor (master supervisor)
2) Take pictures for passport
3) Passport
4) HR paperwork for job next week
5) Video rental store...
6) Catch up with some friends...
7) Send a package to Holly

I'm going to do no. 3 and 4 tomorrow, so that is soon to be crossed out... and unfortunately, I think that no. 5 won't happen. Sigh. Too bad. I kind of feel bad because I have tapes and dvds from the rental store... it'll be easier to go though, I think, once I start my new job since it'll be quite close. Ah well...

The worst thing though is I haven't been reading T_T How sad is that? 2 weeks and I think I read 2 or 3 books. Pathetic, I'm telling you. At least, I've been buying new books... Hopefully, my reading mojo will be back soon and I'll have tons of reviews for you!!

So that's it for me. I'll try to blog more... but I have a question... where is everyone? It's been sooo quite on blogland :(

Oh by the way, Olympics? Sigh... still no medals for Canada, but hopefully this week-end. Otherwise, it's fun to watch... but I think I'm overdosing, LOL :)

I love living in Quebec... not

I don't have much to say ^_^; Vacation still going slowly and relax. I was able to complete no. 6 and 7 from my To Do list. I'll try to accomplish more today. By the way, as usual, I forgot to add 'Clean my messy room' on the list. Sigh. We're having a guest staying for a couple of days and my mom is in total frenzy. Seriously, she's almost welcoming a complete stranger. Sometimes, I don't know what she's thinking.

Haven't had the chance to read much. Well I did read a bit, but nothing that wow-ed me :(

Olympics-wise... well, seriously, while I enjoy watching all the competitions and sports, let say, there's not much to cheer for for Canada. We still have no medals and all our hopes are popping like balloons. Sigh. It's quite sad...

Oh by the way, you might be wondering about the title of my post? Have to say, I like where I'm living, but sometimes... just sometimes... Ames came to visit me right? and of course, she had to show me her new toy, her Sony e-reader. It's very nice and I have to say it's the first time I've seen one. I know there's been posts about what to look for in a e-reader and blabla, but I never paid attention to it, because I don't plan to switch to e-reader anytime soon. Anyway, so Ames showed me hers... and I was curious. I wanted to have another look at it and check out the price and so on. So yesterday, while shopping, I went into Sony store... couldn't find the e-reader anywhere. I found the thing to protect the e-reader, but no e-reader in sight. So I asked the saleman... Anyone one to guess what he told me? Come on, just guess...

Yep, the e-reader is not available in Quebec province... because the program is only in English. UGH, are you freaking kidding me?!?! Of course, you're not. So yeah, ridiculous... but what do you want? That's how it is in Quebec. Ugh.

Vacation week no.2

Hmmm, do I count the week-end in my vacation days? Nah... So day 6 of vacation. So far, my vacation has been relatively calm without much happening, except for yesterday... more to come on yesterday.


so yeah, the vacation has been very calm and uneventful. I'm still glued to my tv watching the Olympics. Canada still has no medals. Are we going to get any you think? Vietnam has 1 in weightlifting which is wow!! LOL :) Ah well, since Canada isn't doing well, I'm rooting for other countries... China, Japan, Australia, Germany... Sorry my southern neighbors, but you don't need cheering LOL :) (Not that China needs it, but since I'm Asian... and it's the host country...)

Okay, here is a quick to do list for the week... just a reminder for me:

1) Visit the professor (master supervisor)
2) Take pictures for passport
3) Passport
4) HR paperwork for job next week
5) Video rental store...
6) Catch up with some friends...
7) Send a package to Holly

Hmmm, I feel like there's something missing... but for now, I guess it's enough...

Okay, so what was so exciting for me yesterday? I got to hang out with Ames!! Yay!!! She was in Montreal to attend a wedding and swung by yesterday afternoon. We hung out and caught up a little bit. She showed me her newest toy, her Sony e-reader. Very nice... Then we went to eat a light lunch and... what do you think we did? Of course, book shopping! LOL :) I brought her to a UBS where she found some books that she's been looking for a long time :) Then we went to Indigo and Chapters downtown. Of course, I'm the one who ended the evening with more new books. You know Ames, she has a better will than me when it comes to books. She was also able to find 2 books I've been looking for a while in Winnipeg: Crazy for You by Kate Angell and The Secrets of Rosa Lee by Jodi Thomas. Ames and I also both bought some jewelry :) It was fun to get to see her again this summer, even if it was only for a couple of hours :)

Since Ames was able to find two books I've been looking for every time I go in a UBS in Winnipeg and she was able to find some books she's been searching high and low for in Montreal... I've been thinking of opening a new blog... a place where people could put up titles of books they can't find anywhere near them. I know that there is ebay and paperback swap... but both are not very convenient for Canada... Would you be interested in such a blog?

Anyway, I have to go mow the lawn! Talk to you later!!

Review: Just One of the Guys by Kristan Higgins

One of the books I was looking forward to in August is this release by Kristan Higgins. I was first attracted to Ms Higgins books because she has very cute book cover LOL :) and really enjoyed Fools Rush In. So I was really looking forward to this book, especially since I like the tomboy storyline :)

Dear Author has posted a very good review for Just One of the Guys, very well written... and I probably can't write one as good, but I just wanted to add my two cents :) So here it is.


Just One of the Guys by Kristan Higgins
published by HQN books in August 2008

Being one of the guys isn't all it's cracked up to be…

So when journalist Chastity O'Neill returns to her hometown, she decides it's time to start working on some of those feminine wiles. Two tiny problems: #1—she's five feet eleven inches of rock-solid girl power, and #2—she's cursed with four alpha male older brothers.While doing a story on local heroes, she meets a hunky doctor and things start to look up. Now there's only one problem: Trevor Meade, her first love and the one man she's never quite gotten over—although he seems to have gotten over her just fine.Yet the more time she spends with Dr. Perfect, the better Trevor looks. But even with the in-your-face competition, the irresistible Trevor just can't seem to see Chastity as anything more than just one of the guys...

Genre: contemporary romance
Series: none

The Story: Chastity was raised in a male-dominated family with her father, 4 brothers and 1 honorary brother, all working as firefighters, paramedics and the likes. With such a family, she can't help being a tomboy, i.e. loud, competitive and strong, just as she can't change her tall, Amazonian physic strengthened by her hobby, rowing. After having work in the city, Chastity is coming back to her hometown to settle down.

Along with her mother who has divorced Chastity's father one year ago and has decreed she was ready to date, Chastity starts her search for the perfect man... and she finds him. Unfortunately, Chastity can't forget her first love, the man she'll never get - Trevor Meade, one of her best friends and honorary brother...

My Opinion: First, the heroine's full name is Chastity Virginia O'Neill, LOL :) Ouch, but I can't help but chuckle, LOL :) All right, so that's out of the way... what about the actual characters and storyline? I really, really enjoyed this book. I really like the O'Neill clan and the relationships.

Chastity isn't as tomboyish as we are led to believe in the synopsis. True, she doesn't have a fragile, small physic and her attitude can be tomboyish at times, but between her ears and personality-wise, she is feminine and doesn't think of herself as a guy... What I liked about Chastity is her confidence. She never thought one second that she was unattractive (well except when her boyfriend dumps her, but that's understandable) and she's independent and strong in her opinions. I really like how assured of herself she is and never doubts her abilities. The fact that she's not lost and know what she wants and where she is going in her life is also refreshing :)

The whole book focuses on Chastity, her relationships and her journey. It was enjoyable and not at all predictable. The dynamics of the family are quite entertaining, especially with divorced parents and her mother starting to date again. There was a nice balance between the focus of the book, Chastity, and the apparition of her family. As expected, with 4 brothers, Chastity has a large family; but I thought Ms Higgins handled it well. The family doesn't overshadow Chastity, but at the same time, is not forgotten. There's also quite a cast of secondary characters such as Chastity's co-workers, but Ms Higgins never get side-tracked and characters introduced seemed to be justified.

I also really liked Chastity's honesty in her feelings. Yes, she is looking for the perfect man and she found him... and she tried really hard to build a life with him, but at the same time, she can't forget Trevor. Personally, I would have like to read more about Trevor, go deeper in his characterization and his thoughts while Chastity was looking and dating Mr. Perfect. I think it would have been very interesting and added a bit more to the book; however, the book is writing from Chastity's point of view. Nonetheless, we get some very emotional scenes from Trevor, so I'll have to be satisfied with that.

*Spoilers ahead*

My favorite scenes of the book have to be the ones which were critical to Chastity and Trevor relationship. I really liked the scene where Chastity confronts Trevor about his feelings and how he doesn't dare be with her because he fears losing his family... Trevor replies that it's her he is afraid to lose. Very emotional... unfortunately, Trevor is a bit stupid in my opinion. At this point, after two one-night stands, you can't say to your childhood/best friend that you want to forget what happened and remain friends... especially when you know she loves you. Trevor was afriad to lose her, but as soon as he rejected her again, he lost her anyway. In my opinion, since both loved each other, he should have given the relationship a try because their relationship would never had gone back to what it was before.

My heart broke for Chastity when she announced her engagement with Mr. Perfect and Elaina, Chastity's best friend and sister-in-law, asks Chastity if she's sure and if she told Trevor yet.

"Don't mess this up, querida. Get over Trevor, querida."

"Okay! Yes, so I said that!" she (Elaina) snaps. "Big deal, you know? Chas, are you happy?"

"Yes!" I insist. "I - definitively!" My jaws clenched. "Elaina," I say, and my voice is now a harsh whisper. "This is the best I'm going to do. He's a good guy. We'll be very content together. He loves me. I love him. Okay? Please don't say anything else."

"Okay," she says. She starts to say something, then pauses.

"What, Lainey?" I ask. My head is killing me, and we haven't had dinner, and I'm starving and just want to go home and curl up with Buttercup.

"Have you told Trevor?" she whispers.

"He knows," I say, turning away. I pretend to fix my hair in the mirror, but I can see Elaina's worried eyes reflected back at me.

"What did he say?" she asks.

"He's all for it." I turn back to look directly in her face. "I told him I loved him and he said to stay with Ryan." My face contorts.

"Shit," she says. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry, honey. It's okay."

Who wouldn't hurt for Chas after this scene? What is she to do? Live the rest of her life lonely? I have to say though, I'm really glad at the happy ending and I'm happy Trevor learned from other's mistake.

*End of spoilers*

My only complaint about this book is the same as with Fools Rush In. It's hard to say whether this book is really straight contemporary romance or more chick-lit. The feeling for chick-lit is very strong and personally, I would have preferred for it to be romance-y. However, after reading 3 books by this author, I have to come to the conclusion that this is Ms Higgins style and I should get used to it :)

My Grade: B+. This book is very good and people should give it a try :) You'll understand why Ms Higgins is a RITA winner :)

Olympics: Oh Canada...

Yay, first day of the Olympics and there's been some nice action so far!! :) So much more coming though... It's now noon in Montreal, i.e. midnight in Beijing, and therefore, tv coverage is taking a break till 6pm. Boooo...


Before the start of the Olympics, the predictions of medals for Canada were somewhere around 12 to 16, trying to rank 16th overall. Quite low for a country like Canada in my opinion, but what can we do? Well, obviously, put more money in sport programs and stop favoring the winter sports. Anyway, 12 to 16 medals, that's quite good already... and don't forget the 4th places that we are going to accumulate. Did I ever mention it? Canada is cursed with 4th place finishes. We always miss things by a hair. Same thing for the qualifications... You don't believe me? Let see, in many sports, finishing within the top 8 is necessary for qualification... Day 1: 2 9th place finishes in swimming (despite the guys improving their own times) and in artistic gymanastics, the male Canadian team missed the top 8 by 0.375 points... Yep, we finished 9th again. It's kind of sad that we always miss by a hair :( Would be less painful if it was by a lot. I'm sure the Canadian head coach is angry at himself right now for a bad decision (one of the gymnasts has an ankle injury, but was not taken off the team - I understand why, but at the same time, having someone in top shape would have made the difference).

Speaking of artistic gymnastic... One of the top stories coming into the Beijing Olympics is Kyle Shewfelt, olympic champion on the floor at Athens 4 years ago. See, our top gymnast broke BOTH his legs about 10 months ago. Can you imagine that? So being able to come back and participate to the Olympics game is awesome. Congrats to him!!! Kind of sucks though that after all his hard work, he won't be able to defend his title or participate to any of the engins finale :( And since team Canada did not qualify for the team competition, his Olympics are over :( But hat off to him for making it :)

Of course, there's not only disappointment. Micheal Barry finished 9th in the men road race and he was aiming for a top 10 finish. Frazer Will got 7th in judo (I think in the < 60kg category)which was what he expected. In weight-lifting, Marilou Dozois-Prevost came in 10th in the 48kg women category. Pretty good for someone who wasn't supposed to go to the Olympics.

LOL, that's it for Day 1... now, I can read a little bit and perhaps write a book review, yay!! by the way, Ames is lucky... the weather in Montreal so far is quite nice. It's been very rainy lately and there's a lot of floods... Perhaps her presence brought the sun out? :)

Beijing Olympics 2008 begins!!!

Hi everyone!! How are you doing? My first week of vacation is coming to an end, NOOOOO!!!

So far, my vacations have been quiet and a bit boring. Haven't done much. Did hang out with a friend and went to see The Mummy 3. I've also been gorging on food LOL :) Miam. Otherwise, nothing very special and reading is going so-so. I'll try to review some more!

While I'm waiting for Ames to get to Montreal and give me a call, I've been watching the Olympics opening ceremony! Very nice and impressive :) I'm so happy the Olympics have started, because I'm such a fan!!! Now, I just can't wait for the sports competitions to actually start!! I'll probably be blogging more about the Olympics than books in the next 2 weeks, so bear with me :)

By the way, I just got Acheron yesterday. Have to admit, I don't really feel like reading it. I'm only interested in the second part of the book and after skimming through it, meh. I bought The Host by Stephanie Meyer, thanks to DC's guest review over at Book Binge. Don't know though when I'll get to it...

So anyone has plans for the week-end? I'm working at the Fathers' place the whole day tomorrow (8.30am to 9pm)... luckily, there'll be the Olympics to watch! Otherwise, I think I'll only read...

All right, I'm going to eat lunch :) Sushi are calling my name... miam :)

Review: Thicker than Blood by Meljean Brook

I am not a huge fan of anthology, but I will buy them when they contain novellas from my favorite authors or from a series I'm hooked on, which is why I bought First Blood. As usual, I only read the novella I was interested in... Thicker Than Blood by Meljean Brook.


Thicker Than Blood by Meljean Brook
published in First Blood by Berkley in August 2008

Annie, the only survivor of an attack that wiped out every other vampire in her city, needs help finding an orphaned human girl before a demon does. But help comes from the last man she expected to see again...

Genre: paranormal romance
Series: The Guardians, book #6

The Story: Annie Gallagher was turned into a vampire 6 years ago and was cut off from her family and boyfriend. She became the enforcer in the vampire community of Philadelphia and was hired out to other communities. Coming back to Philadelphia from business, Annie discovered that the whole community - 130 lives - was wiped out by a demon. However, she knows that Cricket, her little human girl friend, is still alive and therefore refuses to leave without her... During one of her feedings, she comes upon Jack Harrington, the FBI agent she loved and thought she'd never see again...

My Opinion: LOVED IT, LOVED IT, LOVED IT!!!!!! Seriously, this one was a great entry to the series and of course, I wished it was a bit longer... but for the length of this novella, Ms Brook definitively pulled it off :)

I really liked Annie and Jack's characters. How strong they were and their ability to build a new life without each other, but still missing each other. What I liked the most though is once they were reunited, they were honest with each other... no denials, no excuses. For example, Jack getting engaged not long after Annie's "death." If it was in any other books, I would have had difficulty accepting it... However, he didn't make excuses for himself and he was so earnest in his explanation and I understood why... in the end, it was perfect. Also, none of them denied that during the past 6 years, they missed each other and that they still had feelings for each other. Usually, in these kind of reunions, they are a lot of denials about their feelings and a lot of resentment, but not in this case and it made it refreshing and more enjoyable.

I also enjoyed the storyline. Surprisingly, it was very balanced between the storyline and character development, which frankly, doesn't happen much in novellas. The intrigue was well constructed and developed and complex as well. I don't feel like Ms Brook 'simplified' the storyline just because it was a novella. It also gave us a different vampire prospective. In previous books, we had Colin which is 200 years old and special, since he's nosterafu-borned, and Charlie, who was a newly turned vampire, while Annie, although not very old, has settled in a community. So it was interesting.

One of the best part I think is Jack finding out what Annie has become without having her telling him in words. It was fun and clever and well done :) Oh, and I loved seeing Lilith... she didn't steal the show which was cool, but seeing her and a bit of her 'past' while she was a FBI agent just added to the story :)

My only complaint, which is going to sound stupid, is Annie and Jack's names... It was just a bit confusing, given that the H/H in the next Guardian book, Demon Bound, are named Alice and Jake. Even their last names are similar: Annie Gallagher and Jack Harrington vs. Alice Grey and Jake Hawkins LOL!!!

My Grade: A-. Sure, the novella was great and well balanced. Of course, if it had been a full length novel, I'm sure I would have enjoyed it even more!!

Review: Sea Witch by Virginia Kantra

Day 3 of vacation... Everything is quite quiet. I finally got my car back, yay!! Yesterday, I went out with a friend... Today, no real plan except taking my mother out for her birthday :)

Lots of people have been asking for my thoughts on Sea Witch by Virginia Kantra, so I thought I'd bumped the review up :)


Sea Witch by Virgina Kantra
published by Berkley in July 2008

From the water... For years, Margred has gone without the touch of another. Now, her need has driven her beyond her own world. For she is a selkie - a legendary being of the sea, able to shape-shift into seductive human form. Finally, she has found the one she wants...

From the land... A burned-out veteran of the big-city streets, Caleb Hunter was only too happy to take the job as police chief on the peaceful Maine island of World's End. Nothing ever happens in this tiny community surrounded by the sea - until he meets a woman who's everything he's ever dreamed of. And more...

To each other... Their passion is undeniable. Irresistible. But when a murderer begins targeting women in World's End, Caleb must face the terrible possibility that the killings are somehow connected to the mysterious Margred - and that the power of their love may change the fate of humankind...

Genre: paranormal romance
Series: The Children of the Sea, book #2 (book #1 Sea Crossing is a novella in anthology Shifter)

The Story: Margred is a selkie and has lived for hundreds of years. Long ago, she has lost her mate and although the pain and sadness have faded away, she is craving sex. She decides to come to shore to fulfill her desire and meets Caleb Hunter, chief of police.

Caleb is instantly attracted to Margred and although turned on, he wants this to be more than a one night stand. Unfortunately for him, Margred leaves without a word. Meanwhile, Margred knows that Caleb is different from any men she's met... and she can't forget him. When she comes back three weeks later to find him, she is attacked by a demon and her pelt is burned. Without her pelt, Margred can no longer shift and return to the sea... and trapped as a human on land, she will lose her immortality. Although scared to death, she has Caleb to support her... however, the demon is still lurking around...

My Opinion: I hesitated before getting this book. I've seen it at the bookstore and what threw me off from the synopsis is Margred's cravings for sex. I don't know, her coming to shore for sex, it just didn't really appeal to me. Then, Brie reviewed the book and it convinced me to buy it. Luckily for me, I was able to find it at the UBS :)

First, I'd like to say that I liked the idea that Ms Kantra used. Like Brie, I'm a bit vamped out and perhaps werewolved out LOL :) So having an author explores the selkie is original and different. At the same time, I can't help but think that all the mystical creatures are going to be explored in the near future in search for originality and freshness. We should be in for some interesting paranormal romances... Anyway, like I said, I enjoyed the idea of selkies. Where it didn't work so much for me is that I felt like the world building was a bit incomplete. What exactly are the selkies powers? We know they can shapeshift, call sea animals and have some powers over water... What else? The whole culture is also lacking a little bit. In addition, Ms Kantra assigned creatures to each element: selkies are water creature, demons are fire creatures... so what about air and land? My guess is that perhaps many answers could be found in Sea Crossed, the novella in Shifter anthology. Personally, I don't like it when authors start off their series in anthology... It's just a bad idea, because not everyone buys anthologies.

Onto the characters and storyline. I have to say, as I feared, the whole Margred coming ashore to get sex didn't really work with me. What worked though was Caleb's character. Caleb was definitively a great guy, but perhaps with too much baggages. I didn't mind the baggages, but it seems that as the story progressed, they were forgotten... are replaced by other issues. In addition, I enjoyed Margred and Caleb's chemistry. Things definitively sizzled between them and I like Caleb's sweetness and tenderness towards her. As for Margred character, well I don't know. She was okay. She's quite independent and strong and can take matters into her own hands. She seems to be a woman in control, control which she lost when her pelt was destroyed. Then, she became vulnerable and scared, but it just didn't suit her much. Of course, when you're 700 y.o., the prospect of losing your immortality can be a bit alarming and I get that. However, I just think it didn't work well. I think it might have to do with the writing, it didn't quite pull it off right.

Another thing I didn't like too much was Caleb's family. I liked his little sister well enough, but not the brother. I won't spoil things to you, but just know that Caleb's mother left when he was 10 years old with his older brother... abandoning Caleb and his little sister with a drunk father. I didn't like Dylan's, Caleb's older brother, character and well... his reappearance was a bit weird. I think that Margred should have told Caleb's things a bit differently for him to accept and handle it. Although, there wasn't much time for Caleb to explore his feelings and come to term because of the demon.

Finally, I think the ending was a bit rushed. A couple of more pages wouldn't have hurt, especially to have all the issues resolved.

My Grade: B-. I don't regret buying this book. I like Ms Kantra's take on the selkies which brought freshness and originality. However, I don't think that I'll be looking for Sea Fever, which is Dylan's story.

Monthly Reads July 2008

Finally, here is my list of reads for July :) My reading was quite sporadic... I'd read a lot one week and not at all the other... Or I'd read a lot on the week-end, but not on the week...

Also, I did a bad job of keeping my book journal up-to-date. So I might have read more books than actually listed... By the way, how are you all keeping track?

So here we go:

1) When the Demons Walk by Patricia Briggs: B
2) Tribute by Nora Roberts: B
3) At the Bride Hunt Ball by Olivia Parker: B
4) Twisted Creek by Jodi Thomas: A
5) She's no Princess by Laura Lee Guhrke: B+
6) Upon the Midnight Clear by Sherrilyn Kenyon: D
7) Dream Chaser by Sherrilyn Kenyon: C
8) Three Nights by Debra Mullins: B
9) Extreme Exposure by Pamela Clare: DNF
10) Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs: B+
11) Down by the River by Robyn Carr: A-
12) Sweet Spot by Susan Mallery: C+
13) Cutting Loose by Susan Andersen: B-
14) Just One of the Guys by Kristen Higgins: B+
15) Heated Rush by Leslie Kelly: B+

*EDIT:

16) Dancing with Fire by Susan Kearney: C-

Knew I forgot at least one...

*

I think I'm missing one book... I must have read something last week, but for now, I can't remember. It's just been a quite hectic week, so it's hard to say. Overall, a pretty good month both reading-wise and reviewing-wise :) I still got a couple of reviews to come, so stay tuned! :)

Quebec City trip

Hi everyone!!

I'm back!! LOL, actually, I came back yesterday, but was so tired... Anyway, today is my first day of vacation!! woohoo!!! LOL :) It's been a while since I had one of these :) No plans really...

So I thought I'd post some pictures... We only went from Saturday morning to Sunday evening, but we still managed to bring a lot of things. It was funny, because you'd think that we'd be gone for a long thing, looking at how we were packing. The neighbors were sitting on their porch, both when we left and came back LOL :)

I drove to Quebec City which is a 2.5 hours drive. I tried driving back when we returned, but could only managed half of it. I was too sleepy. Seems like I can handle morning drive very easily, but I always have difficulty in the afternoon.

Anyway, here are some pictures of the trip. We did a lot of walking around. Quebec City is celebrating their 400 years anniversary, so there were lots of people everywhere. I had a cramp on Friday night while sleeping and so, now, my calves are really stiff :( But it was well worth it to see my uncle and his family.





So Saturday, after eating lunch, we walked around Old Quebec. The weather was really nice, so it was great :) My cousin, whom I haven't seen for 2 years, went on a camping trip. So she only joined us for supper with her boyfriend. It's kind of strange, because she's always been my little cousin... and for her to offer me beer and introduce her boyfriend, just strange.

We went to a steakhouse. Took us a while to find a place to eat. My uncle doesn't go out often, he's more of a homebody. All in all, the food was pretty good, but the service a bit slow... and forgetful ^_^; Actually, they completely forgot my order... Luckily, I only ordered a chicken Ceasar salad, otherwise, I'd probably have waited a long time.





Next morning, we went on a loooong walk LOL. My cousin had to go to work, so we didn't get to hang out. I like the third picture where my sis and dad are posing, LOL :) I tried to imitate them in the last pic :)

Overall, a nice week-end. Wonder when is the next time I'll see them...

As for my first day of vacation, a bit boring. Brought my car to the dealership because there was an oil leak. Turns out they are missing a piece so they'll keep the car overnight. My mom was gone grocery shopping, so me and my sister were pretty much stranded home. Then, we lost power for about 2 hours... So I napped... and I woke up all groggy and uncomfy. I'm trying to slowly clean up my room... it's not that bad, but yeah, I have a bit of work to do LOL :)

Good news is that I read and finished Sea Witch by Virginia Kantra :)

MIA

Sorry I've been MIA!!!

Today was my last day of work and I've been rushing like mad to finish my lab notebooks :( I covered 3 months in 2 days, not bad... but I'm exhausted. I've been getting to work at 6.30am and leaving at 6.30pm... and all I did was print, cut and paste and write some stuff. Never knew I worked so hard!!!

Then, tomorrow I'm going to Quebec City for the week-end. Don't know if I'm going to have access to internet :( I'll try my best!!

As soon as I come back, I'll have my July reads list up!! Till then, later! have a nice week-end everyone!